Thursday, March 16, 2017

On The Shelf: The DC Universe is about to go Looney---again!

In 2000, DC comics asked writer Mark Evanier to craft a 4-issue miniseries, Superman-Bugs Bunny, in which the two icons would meet for the first time, thanks to the machinations of Yoyo the Dodo and Mr. Mxyzptlk. That wasn't just a trip, it was a whole vacation from reality.

Starting in June, DC will produce a new series of 1-shot specials, all 48 pages for $4.99, mind you, that will have fans talking. This, of course, comes on the heels of 4 1-shot DCU-Hanna-Barbera crossover specials debuting in 2 weeks.

So what's to expect? Wellllllllll..........

Perhaps inspired in a way by the short, "Hare Brush", Elmer Fudd meets the Batman. You see, the phonetically challenged Fudd is presented here as a jealous, resentful fellow businessman. Jealous of Bruce Wayne, that is. Expect "Hare Brush" references.

Wonder Woman will meet the Tasmanian Devil. Jim Lee is doing the cover, but Barry Kitson is the interior artist. Looks like fun. In contrast, Lobo is hired by Wile E. Coyote to hunt down the Road Runner. Can't picture the Road Runner being drawn by Kelley (Along Came) Jones, but that's what we're getting. Also, Marvin the Martian is still obsessed with destroying Earth so he can get a clear view of Venus. It's left up to the Martian Manhunter to attend to this threat. Jonah Hex meets Yosemite Sam, marking the return of former Marvel artist Mark Tiexiera, who draws a realistic Sam on the cover.

Finally, Bugs meets the Legion of Super-Heroes, dressed as his some-time alter-ego, Super Rabbit, last seen on The Looney Tunes Show. The cover is a homage to Superboy's first meeting with the Legion way back in the day. Luckily, they're not releasing all six books at once, but they'll be released on an every-other-week basis, which will save the strain on your comics budget. I'd not be surprised if the earlier miniseries is reissued in trade paperback as part of the promotion.

Whereas fans have been clamoring for Marvel to similarly cross over some of their heroes with Disney characters in print, in the wake of a Phineas & Ferb special a couple of years back, I think they're waiting to see if DC/WB can make this work before they try it themselves. Just sayin'.